Gur Cake

in Diana's Recipe Book

Comments: To a young Dublin "jackeen", going on the gur' meant mitching from, skiving off, or taking an unathorizied day off, school. A wise (gurrier) would have acquired the price of a piece of gur cake to sustain him. Gur cake is, of course, an invention of commercial bakeries to use up unsold cakes and breads-by it's very nature the taste and texture changed from day to day. Lefovers are mixed up, with a little extra dried fruit and enough water to bind the lot into a moist gunge (indeed, the Cork version was often called "donkey's gunge"), sandwiched between 2 layers of robust pastry, baked and then cut into good sized chunks. This concoction, always the cheaped item on sale in the bakery shop, was much beloved of Dublin gurriers, especially when hot and steaming from the oven.

Gur cake is still on sale in the city of Dublin, especially in the Liberties. Elsewhere, much the same cake goes by the grand titile of "fruit slice". If you are thrifty and into recycling you might like to try this domestic version. It's good made with tired Christmas cake or pudding, with boiled fruit cake, brack, sponge cake and bread. Obviously, the more bread in the mixture the more dried fruit you need to add.

Instructions: Place the leftover cake/and or bread, in a food processor and whiz until you have fairly fine crumbs. Stir in the rest of the dry ingredients using as much fruit as you feel you need to achieve a rich "fruity" mixture. Add the beaten egg/mixed spice (or milk or water) mixture using as much liquid as will make a stiff paste like texture.

Grease a retangular 28cm x 20cm (11x7 inch) cake tin. Roll out the pastry thinly into 2 pieces the size of the tin. Line the bottom of the tin with one layer of pastry. Spread the filling on top. Cover with the second layer of pastry. Prick the top all over (lighly) with a fork, then brush with a little milk.

Traditionally, Gur cake is cut into rectangular chunks about 9cm long by 5cm wide (3 1/2 inches long by 2 inches wide) .

Source: Best of Irish Home Baking by Bitty White Lennon

Date: March 12, 2003

Reviews

Reviewer: geronimoRating:Review:best i've tasted to date

Reviewer: carl tribble, jr.Rating:Review:This sounds very interesting and I will bake it; right down my baking alley! thanks!

Reviewer: Sadie LarkinRating:Review:For a real Dublin touch, add cold tea to the bread, fruit, mixed spice and sugar and leave to stand over night. In the morning this is a lovely gooey paste.

Reviewer: cathyRating:Review:Just as my husband said its very very good

Reviewer: jimmieRating:Review:It was fantastic but I agree me Mammie used to use the cold tea and it gave it that something special!

Reviewer: cateRating:Review:I bought it in Superquinn to try it out, but their version is a bit stodgy, its too eggy in taste. The recipe above sounds a lot nicer

Reviewer: Bernadette BurgoyneRating:Review:My Nana and my Mum have made Gur cake all my life, they are from Dublin but I have lived in Dublin, Belfast, Germany and England until I was 28. I have come across a similar one in England but it isn't half as nice as Irish. My Auntie asked me for the recipe last year and it was her Mum that made it first. My Auntie is 59 and had never made it before. She also asked me for the recipe for Soda Bread in the Griddle that Nana used to make, Mum makes it all the time too. There is always milk on the side ready for the bread. Yum